3 Facts About Chia Seeds You Don’t Know Yet

Have you been hearing a lot about that trendy superfood lately—chia seeds? Chia seeds are one of the healthiest foods on the planet. They are packed with fiber, nutrients, Omega-3 fatty acids and other micronutrients that have an amazing impact on both your body and brain.

These little black seeds come from the plant Salvia Hispanica which is related to mint. The plant is originally from South America and chia seeds were important for Aztecs and Mayans, who prized the seeds for their ability to provide sustainable energy. In fact, the word “chia” is means “strength” in ancient Mayan language.

1. They are high in nutrition and low in calories.

These little black seeds are loaded with nutrients and just a tiny amount of calories! They also contain a decent amount of Zinc, Vitamin B3 (Niacin), Potassium, Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) and Vitamin B2.

A 1 ounce (28 grams) serving of chia seeds contains:

Fiber: 11 grams.

Protein: 4 grams.

Fat: 9 grams (5 of which are Omega-3s).

Calcium: 18% of the RDA.

Manganese: 30% of the RDA.

Magnesium: 30% of the RDA.

Phosphorus: 27% of the RDA.

This is pretty awesome if you think about it. One ounce is just 137 calories and one gram of digestible carbohydrate! And when you subtract the fiber, since your body may not be able to use those calories, chia seeds only really contain about 101 calories per ounce.

To make things even better, chia seeds are grown organically, are a whole grain food, are non-GMO and gluten-free. So their tiny size may trick you, but they are one of the most nutritious foods on the planet.

2) They are loaded with antioxidants.

These tiny seeds are packed with antioxidants. Antioxidants fight the production of free radicals, which can damage molecules in cells and contribute to aging and diseases like cancer. These antioxidants also protect the delicate fats in the seeds from going rancid.

3) Almost all of their carbs are fiber.

Even though the nutritional information on a package of chia seeds says that one ounce has 12 grams of carbohydrate, 11 of those grams are actually fiber, which isn’t digested by the body. Since fiber doesn’t raise blood sugar and doesn’t need insulin to be disposed of, it shouldn’t count as a carb.

The real carb content in chia seeds is only 1 gram per ounce, which makes chia a low-carb food. Since these seeds are so rich in fiber, they can absorb up to 10-12 times their weight in water, turning into a gel-like substance while expanding in your stomach.

This means you’ll feel more full as you eat the chia seeds and will eat less calories. Which also means chia seeds are great if you’re trying to lose weight. You’ll also be feeding chia’s fiber to your gut bugs which is important to stay healthy.

So now that you know all about these little seeds, you can probably understand what the hype’s about. Try blending it into lemonade or your breakfast fruit smoothie.

Check out some of these great recipes on how to get creative with chia seeds in your daily diet!

About the author

Viance Nutrition

Hi! I'm Walt Landi the founder and CEO of Viance Nutrition. Welcome to our Blog. I maintain this Blog as a free resource for anyone wishing to improve their health. Your comments and feedback are always welcomed and you can email me direct at walt@viance.com if you have any suggestions. Thanks. Ps. Spread the word and check out our products at viance.com. :)